Ice Fishing

[CadetHawk]

Tough season thus far for the ice fishing in Iowa, well most of Iowa. Has anyone been out? I fished a farm pond in NE Iowa a few weeks ago. I am hoping to go back there next week . I have been out probably 10 times, but we have more ice here in SE MN. I am making the 7 hour drive to Lake of the Woods next month with my son. My buddy bought a wheel house and we will be going to Mille Lacs several times in the next couple months. I was really hoping Lake Erie would freeze this year, but I don't think that is going to happen this year.

 

[Joes Place]

No ice fishing in flatlander CO.

It's been in the 50s most of January, and hit 60 yesterday.

 

[DooBi]

I live in nw iowa. I was trying to go today to a lake here that has big perch, but the pressure is so low I don't think they'll be biting. You want the pressure between about 29.75 and 29.95. Right now it's 29.54.

 

[CadetHawk]

I live in nw iowa. I was trying to go today to a lake here that has big perch, but the pressure is so low I don't think they'll be biting. You want the pressure between about 29.75 and 29.95. Right now it's 29.54.

While pressure is important in how well they bite, it isn't the end all factor. I was out yesterday on an old mining pit before the front came through and the pressure was 29.8 and the fish were negative. I drilled 30 holes before we found the gills then we had to downsize to catch fish. I caught a few on a tungsten ice fly. They would check out other baits, multiple plastics, but wouldn't bite. I had wax worms and spikes, but I rarely use them.

I always tell people the best time to fish is when you can. Certain days are better than others, but I just enjoy being out there. I have only been ice fishing for a few years, but I love it. Unfortunately while I live in the land of 10,000 lakes, I live in one of the only counties without a lake.

 

[CadetHawk]

No ice fishing in flatlander CO.

It's been in the 50s most of January, and hit 60 yesterday.

Sounds like perfect trout fishing weather.

 

[Joes Place]

Sounds like perfect trout fishing weather.

It would be, if there were any water in the streams....
Right now, that's all locked up in snowpack.

 

[lonestar50]

I haven't been, but a friend of mine is a guide on Clear Lake. He said it's been a hot bite up there recently. I would like to get up there sometime soon.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

It's 73 today in Tallahassee. The only ice fishing we do is removing chunks out of our margarita that didn't get blended properly for some reason.

 

[HeathForrester]

I haven't been, but a friend of mine is a guide on Clear Lake. He said it's been a hot bite up there recently. I would like to get up there sometime soon.

Guide on clear lake, LOL

 

[CadetHawk]

I haven't been, but a friend of mine is a guide on Clear Lake. He said it's been a hot bite up there recently. I would like to get up there sometime soon.

I am not sure if it is your friend or not, but I heard of one guide who is having 200 fish days.

 

[CadetHawk]

It's 73 today in Tallahassee. The only ice fishing we do is removing chunks out of our margarita that didn't get blended properly for some reason.

Have you ever tried ice fishing?

 

[jellyfish10]

Guide on clear lake, LOL

If haven’t fished there before it can be hard to find fish.

I know there has been a ton of action on Clear Lake but much of it has been small perch.

 

[lonestar50]

I am not sure if it is your friend or not, but I heard of one guide who is having 200 fish days.

That's probably the one. He posted pictures on Facebook few days ago.

 

[HeathForrester]

If haven’t fished there before it can be hard to find fish.

I know there has been a ton of action on Clear Lake but much of it has been small perch.

Many times, and not hard, LOL

 

[CadetHawk]

If haven’t fished there before it can be hard to find fish.

I know there has been a ton of action on Clear Lake but much of it has been small perch.

Yellow bass, brah. You are right it can be hard to find them, and I think you have to move with them. Some people either can't or don't want to drill 100 holes so they hire a guide.

 

[NoleATL]

You crazy people fishing on ice. Some even wheeling houses on them and starting fires to keep warm. Fire and ice... one will always win.

 

[DooBi]

While pressure is important in how well they bite, it isn't the end all factor. I was out yesterday on an old mining pit before the front came through and the pressure was 29.8 and the fish were negative. I drilled 30 holes before we found the gills then we had to downsize to catch fish. I caught a few on a tungsten ice fly. They would check out other baits, multiple plastics, but wouldn't bite. I had wax worms and spikes, but I rarely use them.

I always tell people the best time to fish is when you can. Certain days are better than others, but I just enjoy being out there. I have only been ice fishing for a few years, but I love it. Unfortunately while I live in the land of 10,000 lakes, I live in one of the only counties without a lake.

Definitely. I agree 100 percent. There are many factors. Look at Storm Lake. The walleye are thick in that lake, but the shad are thicker. The walleye are fat and happy and are all but impossible to catch right now.

 

[HeathForrester]

You crazy people fishing on ice. Some even wheeling houses on them and starting fires to keep warm. Fire and ice... one will always win.

There's no risk when the ice is sufficiently thick.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

Have you ever tried ice fishing?

There's zero opportunity for it in Florida (or Virginia where I went to law school in Williamsburg on the coast), so I haven't been. Frankly, other than fishing for trout in some mountain streams in NC and TN and doing some deep-sea fishing in New Zealand off of Kaikoura, I have never fished for coldwater fish. I mostly fish saltwater inshore along the coast of Florida, Alabama and occasionally Mississippi for spotted seatrout, redfish, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, tarpon, cobia, flounder, Spanish mackerel, pompano, and the other incidental fish you catch with them (spadefish, sailcats, black drum, croaker, whiting, grunts, pigfish, crevalle jacks, kingfish, white trout, sand trout, bluefish, and sharks of all species). I'll occasionally go fishing in Lake Okeechobee (usually) or elsewhere for largemouth bass and once a year or so get a deep-sea guide for tuna, grouper, marlin and/or sailfish.

 

[jellyfish10]

Yellow bass, brah. You are right it can be hard to find them, and I think you have to move with them. Some people either can't or don't want to drill 100 holes so they hire a guide.

No. I was told perch. I don’t go up there any more. We hired a guide once just to get a feel for the lake in the winter, even though we went with someone that fishes up there when the ice is out all of the time. These guys know the difference...either that or they misspoke. Anyway, the have been up several times a caught a lot of small fish but few keepers.

 

[SoDakHawk]

You crazy people fishing on ice. Some even wheeling houses on them and starting fires to keep warm. Fire and ice... one will always win.

Don't knock it until you've tried it. Ice fishing is a blast, even if you catch nothing but a buzz.

 

[CadetHawk]

No. I was told perch. I don’t go up there any more. We hired a guide once just to get a feel for the lake in the winter, even though we went with someone that fishes up there when the ice is out all of the time. These guys know the difference...either that or they misspoke. Anyway, the have been up several times a caught a lot of small fish but few keepers.

The picture I saw on Facebook of the guide was with yellow bass. Cleaning 200 fish sounds horrible. Another reason to hire a guide. Of course I rarely keep fish.

 

[jellyfish10]

The picture I saw on Facebook of the guide was with yellow bass. Cleaning 200 fish sounds horrible. Another reason to hire a guide. Of course I rarely keep fish.

We cleaned a couple hundred yellows a few years ago. It was a bloodbath. I know they were getting into walleye and crappie 2 weeks ago but there was no size to them. One of the guys I really liked to ice fish with lives in Colorado Springs now so our group dynamic has changed. Makes it less desirable for me to go.

 

[CadetHawk]

We cleaned a couple hundred yellows a few years ago. It was a bloodbath. I know they were getting into walleye and crappie 2 weeks ago but there was no size to them. One of the guys I really liked to ice fish with lives in Colorado Springs now so our group dynamic has changed. Makes it less desirable for me to go.

Have you ever stayed in a sleeper house? If a person likes fishing and likes camping it is a blast. Everyone should try it once.

 

[jellyfish10]

Have you ever stayed in a sleeper house? If a person likes fishing and likes camping it is a blast. Everyone should try it once.

Yep. At Mil Lacs when it was a barren fuggin wasteland. Even though the fishing was horrible, we still had a blast.

As for Clear Lake, they were indeed perch

 

[isufan21]

Have you ever stayed in a sleeper house? If a person likes fishing and likes camping it is a blast. Everyone should try it once.

I went to Mille Lacs last year and rented an ice house at Rocky Reef Resort. Was only there 24 hours, only caught one walleye to big to keep. But was a good time none the less.

 

[birdforbogey]

Yellow bass, brah. You are right it can be hard to find them, and I think you have to move with them. Some people either can't or don't want to drill 100 holes so they hire a guide.

Hard-water trolling. Drill them holes til the vexi lights up.

 

[Derekd3408]

I haven't been, but a friend of mine is a guide on Clear Lake. He said it's been a hot bite up there recently. I would like to get up there sometime soon.

My uncle goes to CL fishing about every day. Also said it's been pretty hot. What's your friends initials? I might know him.

 

[lonestar50]

My uncle goes to CL fishing about every day. Also said it's been pretty hot. What's your friends initials? I might know him.

AT. Couple of friends from CL/Forest City area

 

[Derekd3408]

AT. Couple of friends from CL/Forest City area

Yeah that doesnt sound familiar. My uncle also guides at CL and I've meet a few of his friends that do as well. None with those initials though.

 

[MACE]

Been getting Crappies at Black Hawk.

 

[DooBi]

Been getting Crappies at Black Hawk.

Any size?

 

[SoProudNole]

 

[SoProudNole]

 

[CadetHawk]

I have never had that happen, but I have seen people chasing there's.

 

[TarponSpringsNole]

Haven’t iced fished in years. I’m bass fishing here in Fl.

 

[CadetHawk]

Haven’t iced fished in years. I’m bass fishing here in Fl.

Nice fish. 23"? That's, most likely, a 10 year old fish up here.

 

[TarponSpringsNole]

Nice fish. 23"? That's, most likely, a 10 year old fish up here.

Thanks. It was a couple inches longer. Lots of fish like this in ponds here.

 

[Hendy hawk]

That is why on a windy day you stake them down

 

[FranklinHawk]

My uncle goes to CL fishing about every day. Also said it's been pretty hot. What's your friends initials? I might know him.

Heard this weekend CL had slowed down a bit, although I didn't get out so can't confirm.